Improvement in cases for conveying fruit-boxes



Nifrn *rares Armar OFFICE.

R. H. BAKER, OF JAMESTOVN, NEV YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN CASES FOR CONVEYING FRUIT-BOXES.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, It. H. BAKER, of Jamestown, in the-county ofChautauqua and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedFruit-Case; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which-Figure l is a side view of my invention, partly in section and in aclosed state. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same in astate adjusted foruse; Fig. 8, a plan or top View of acorner of one of the framespertaining to the same; Fig. et, a vertical section of one of the boxespertaining to the same; Fig. 5, a plan or top view of a portion of oneof the boxes pertaining to the same; Fig. 6, a detached perspective viewof one of the clamps of a box pertaining to the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

The object of this invention is to obtain a case for' conveying ortransporting fruit-sueh as strawberries, blackberries, the-which may bereadily adjusted or arranged to securely hold a number of boxes of asuitable capacity, and when not required for use, or when the boxes areemptied of their contents, be capable of being adjusted in a verycompact form, so as to facilitate the transportation of the cases backto their destination.

To this end the invention consists in the employment or use of a numberof frames arranged in connection with a number of boxes so constructedthat they may be readily taken apart and adjusted together, ashereinafter fully set forth. t

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct myinvention, I will proceed to describe it.

A A A/ A represent rectangular frames, which may be constructed of woodof any proper size. These frames are of equal dimensions, and the twocentral ones, A A, and lower one, A, are provided at each angle orcorner with an upright angular plate, B. These plates are of metal, andextend upward a short distance above the frames A A A. rIhe two centralframes, A A, have each a horizontal metal plate, C, secured in theirangles at their inner sides, as shown in Fig. 3,

and nearly at the centers of the sides and end pieces of the frames, asshown in Fig. l. The lower frame, A, has a bottom board, a, attached toit, which forms the bottom of the case, and thc top frame, A', has a topboard, b, secured to it, which forms the top of the ease. (See Fig. l.)

D represents rectangular boxes, the ends of the sides c of which abutagainst each other with a ruiter-joint, as shown clearly in Fig. 5. rIhesides c, near their ends, have vertical grooves' d made in them toreceive metal clamps E. These clamps are constructed of metal, and maybe described as being formed of a piece of sheet metal bent in angleform, and having its edges bent to form right angles with its sides j',as shown clearly in Fig. 6. Each clamp E is provided with a bottomplate, g, which project-s considerably beyond the bent edges c. The bentedges e of the clamps iit within the grooves d in the side c of theboxes, and iirmly hold the same together, and the bottom plates; g,ofthe clamps extend beyond the inner sides of the boxes and formbearings or supports for the bottoms 7L of the boxesl (See Fig. 4.)

The case is put 4together as follows: On the bottom a of the lowerframe, A, two boxes D are placed side by side, said boxes being filledwith the fruit, and upon said boxes a frame A is laid, the plates C ofwhich rest upon the outer edges of the boxes. Within this frame A thelower ends of two more filled boxes D are placed, and on these boxes theouter frame A is placed, and within this last-named frame A the lowerends of two more filled boxes D are placed, on which the top frame, A,rests. The several frames A A A A are connected or fastened in positionby hooks F F', as shown clearly in Fig. 2.' The. boxes D are notprovided with lids, as .the bottoms of the upper tiers of boxes serve astops for the lower ones, while the top board, I), of the upper frame, A,serves as a top for the upper tier. /Vhen the several parts are thusadjusted together, the boxes D will be securely held in position and thefruit protected from injury. Vhen the boxes are emptied of theircontents, they .are taken apart by withdrawing the clamps E, and thesides c connected together in pairs by the clamps, as shown in Fig. 1,one sidec being laid upon the other, and the several pairs of sidesplaced side by side Within the several fra1nes7which are placed inclosecon,- tact one upon the other, with the bottoms la of the boxes beingplaced between the layers of sides, as shown in Fig. l. The plates B atthe angles or corners of the frame prevent the latter from movinglaterally out of proper position, and the frames are securely connectedtogether by the hooks F, as shown in Fig. 1. llhus it will be seen thatwhen the boxes D are emptied of their contents the case may be adjustedtogether in a very compact form.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is Y A fruit-case constructed of a series ofboxes so arranged as to admit of being taken apart and adjustedtogether, and a series of frames to receive the boxes7 all arrangedsubstantially as set forth.

R. H. BAKER. Vitnesses:

M. H. HUTToN, GEORGE HUNT.

